The Unsung Hero
by Aida Caroti
Summary: Ron Weasley had never been the bravest, or the best. Ron Weasley had not survived the killing curse (neither once nor twice) and Ron Weasley certainly wasn't a wizarding hero. At least, that's what Ron Weasley would say.


_A/N This sort of came out of nowhere. Ron is my favourite character. He is often underrated and abused in fanfiction. So here is to him, the King._

The Unsung Hero

Ron Weasley had never been the bravest, or the best. Ron Weasley had not survived the killing curse (neither once nor twice) and Ron Weasley certainly wasn't a wizarding hero.

At least, that's what Ron Weasley would say.

"No mate, Harry saved us all. Thank him."

"Hermione kept us alive; we would never have been able to win without her."

"It's those who sacrificed themselves, Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin and so many others. It's those who chose to fight, who came back to Hogwarts that are the real heroes. They won the war."

"But Mr Weasley?!" The reporters would all but cry, "you were there, you helped the chosen one, you freed the dragon and you got the girl!" But he'd shrug and smile, thinking that those reporters, these people, would never understand the way that he did.

Ron Weasley, you see, was an ordinary bloke. He watched Quidditch and was frequently disappointed (he did support the cannons though, so that was very much his own fault). He had a wife, two children, a cat he hated and an owl. He lived in a three bedroomed house in muggle town and he went to the pub once a week. He was as ordinary as ordinary could get.

It was Harry who first tired of his humility and tried to get him to take some of the credit for the accomplishments of that year.

"Mate," Harry had slurred over a muggle pint, the boy-who-lived had never been particularly tolerant to alcohol, "you- you are a hero. We would have never done it without you." Ron smiled and didn't respond except to heartily laugh as his friend spilt beer down the front of his top.

It was strange, really, that a man that was once so obsessed with being a hero, having the limelight, now refused to admit to his own importance.

"I work in a shop," he'd say with a shrug. "Hermione is a hero, passing laws and improving lives. Harry is a hero, he makes sure that people get justice and that our world will never go back to those dark times. I just work in a shop."

Certainly, over the years that is how the golden trio was portrayed. Hermione: the smartest witch of her age, who fought for those who could not fight for themselves. Harry: the boy who lived and the saviour of the wizarding race, brave auror and champion for justice. Then, as an after-thought, the least impressive of this selective gang: Ron Weasley, works in a joke shop.

Although, if you had known thirteen year old or perhaps fifteen year old Ron you would think this bothered him (as it often had back then). But it didn't.

The world gradually forgot about Ron Weasley's contribution, and he was okay with that.

And if sometimes Ron faltered when talking about, 'that year' that was okay. If sometimes Ron screamed in his sleep about his betrayal that was okay. He was okay.

It was the anniversary of the battle and Ron woke slowly. The day was never easier but as the years passed the ache of the day had lessened if only slightly. Hermione had been up early and with the children at school the house was strangely empty and almost foreign.

It was on this day that something changed, and it happened quite unexpectedly.

The Prophet dropped to the kitchen table and Ron paid the regal owl absently without looking up from the stove where he was making his breakfast, (a full fry up, he did not need to watch his c-olestol or whatever is was Hermione had been harping on about.)

He turned to the table, plate laden with greasy food and a rumbling tummy when he stopped dead. His face (his much younger and weary face) blinked out at him.

What the bloody…

 _The unsung Hero_

 _By Ginevra Potter_

It was a rule, god damn it, that Ginny only wrote sport, not about them. He was sure this had been discussed and agreed on. Half sure.

 _Everyone knows the story of the war against Voldemort. Every year we thank those who fought and remember our dead._

 _This year, I and the prophet want to recognise one hero, my brother, Ronald Weasley._ _Many people were involved in the downfall of Lord Voldemort or Tom Riddle to be exact. We know the story of the golden trio, their exploits and heroism in the face of certain death._

 _My brother, Ron, became friends with Harry Potter over shared sweets and a wish to fit in. In that first journey between London and Hogwarts a friendship was formed that no matter what conspired later, endured and thrived._

 _Being friends with Harry Potter back then was often a perilous existence, and in his first year Ron learnt that. He sacrificed himself for the first time that year, to help Harry prevent the resurrection of Tom Riddle._ _He was twelve years old and he sacrificed himself to save the world. He was ready even then to throw himself on the sword to protect Harry and save the world._

 _When the monster was released only a year later and I myself was taken by the monster and left to die, the teachers and the students returned to their dormitories and prepared to evacuate the school._

 _But not Ron, and not Harry._

 _They saved me. Risking their lives, and their memories in the process._

 _Then, in his third year my injured brother stood tall and stood between Harry and a mass murderer, to protect Harry. He stood on his broken leg and placed himself in harms way to protect his best friends. Willing once again to give his life for others._

 _In his fifth year Ron faced death eaters for the first time, Ron (along with Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger and myself) flew to the ministry to save Sirius Black. He was sixteen years old and in that battle he threw himself into a curse that was meant for me. He should have been thinking about girls and sex but instead he was already thinking about the war ahead. It was then that my family and I realised that no matter what happened, my stupidly brave brother would fight for his beliefs and his friends. He faced the same death eaters yet again not a year after, he protected his school along with other members of the DA. It was in that battle that Dumbledore was murdered and my brother scarred by Greyback. It was that battle that told us what was to come._

 _He and Hermione then promised to accompany Harry on his mission, to help him destroy Voldemort once and for all. He knew of course that this mission would be dangerous, and I'm sure the strategist in him realised that the odds of him dying were extremely high, not to mention that danger he was placing his family in. Ron spent months enacting a plan and a cover story to protect his family; he went to great lengths to ensure our safety. He did, he left us to go save the world but because of his actions we were safe, no one would know he was gone (at least not for several months)._

 _That's not to mention everything he did in the months that followed._

 _Ron has always been one of the bravest men I've ever known; I am honoured to call that gangly, freckly prat my brother._

 _I am proud to know him._

 _So when you toast the heroes of the war tonight. Toast first those who gave their lives to give you yours._ _Then toast those brave souls who came to Hogwarts knowing full well what dangers that lie ahead._ _But do not forget to raise your goblet to Ronald Billius Weasley, prat and loyal hero, who from the age of 11 was willing to fight and die for the greater good._

 _To Ron Weasley_

Ron gaped at the paper in front of him, what the bloody hell was his stupid sister playing at?

He was not a hero, he did not want, nor need, peoples' thanks. Not when so many others deserved it more. He had done what was right, not for glory, but because he would never have been able to live with himself otherwise.

But perhaps, just perhaps, that is exactly what a hero does.

 _A/N I hope you like. I also have a massive Harry Potter project in the works, I'm about 30k in and it's looking good. It's set in the next generation but has lots of different POVs (including my lovely Ron.) I may post a teaser on tumblr or release the first chapter. Bit nervous because it isn't finished and is still not finished._


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